PESHAWAR, Dec 5: State and Frontier Regions Secretary Sajid Hussain Chatha has said that the Afghan refugees should go back to their homeland. According to a press release issued on Sunday by the NWFP Afghan Refugees Commissionerate, the official told elders at the Kacha Ghari camp on Saturday that the national and international scenario was changing and it was high time those who had taken refuge here should go back to their country.

He said his ministry was supporting voluntary repatriation and urged the refugees to go back to Afghanistan. The government would continue to support the refugees till the repatriation was completed, Mr Chatha said.

The secretary visited the girls' primary school and basic health unit in the camp. He administered polio vaccine to children. He was briefed about the education, health and water supply schemes being carried out by the commissionerate in refugee camps.

The Afghan refugees' commissioner announced that pilot programmes would be launched for children at the camp to provide them health education.